


me of thee defeated

by TuppenceBee



Category: Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Episode Tag, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24769384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TuppenceBee/pseuds/TuppenceBee
Summary: Sebastian returns to his flat after the events of "Teach Me, Dear Creature" and finds someone waiting for him.
Relationships: Sebastian Brudenell/Rory Harrison
Comments: 10
Kudos: 28





	me of thee defeated

**Author's Note:**

> I really loved the casual touches between Rory and Sebastian in 'Teach Me, Dear Creature' and it inspired me to write this :) Not sure anyone else is out there looking for Shakespeare & Hathaway fic, let alone of these two, but if you do...hey, I’ve got you covered!

Sebastian floats up the stairs to his flat, breathing in the scent of history, of _home_. His footsteps trip lightly and his head swims after his homecoming session at the Mucky Mallard with Frank and Lu. Beneath the sweet inebriation, though, there is a prick of panic—has he committed career suicide? Is he Ophelia, drowning himself in an endless array of undercover identities and cups of tea, rather than the river?

No. No, it was the right decision. Of that he’s sure.

The door swings open and he’s about to fall through, longing for bed, blessed bed when he tenses. Someone else is here. There is breathing and the scent of cologne that’s not his hanging in the air.

‘Whoever’s here, you should know that I— I have a black belt in karate.’

‘I don’t remember that being on offer at RADA.’

‘Rory?’ Sebastian fumbles for the switch by the door, warm yellow light flooding the room. He blinks against it. ‘What are you doing here?’ His pulse flutters, but he tilts his chin up and says, coldly, ‘Thought you’d already be off to your next great role.’

‘Thought you’d be off to yours.’

‘Touché.’

Rory smiles up at him from the armchair he’s sprawled in. ‘Need somewhere to recuperate.’ He points to his back.

‘And you thought you’d do it in my abandoned flat?’ Sebastian crosses his arms. ‘I was meant to be gone for two years, remember.’

‘But here you are.’

Sebastian’s eyes narrow. ‘You don’t seem surprised.’

Rory lets the mystery linger a beat, then says, ‘Lu called me. She thought you might need a friend.’

A friend. The word sends a pang through Sebastian. ‘And why, pray tell, might I need a friend?’ Sebastian slips his jacket off and moves over to the chair opposite Rory.

Rory sighs. ‘Why’d you do it, Seb? It’s what you’ve been dreaming of, isn’t it?’

Sebastian bristles. Despite the slur of alcohol in his blood, he sits up straight, looking down his nose at Rory. ‘It was only ten lines.’

‘And you’re worth more, I suppose’

‘Aren’t I, darling?’

Rory smiles at that. That stupid, smarmy, gorgeous smile. ‘A hundred more.’ He leans forward. ‘But it’s still a start.’

‘You wouldn’t understand.’

‘Try me.’

They stare each other down across the divide of the coffee table until Sebastian finally relents. ‘I couldn’t leave Frank and Lu.’ Tongue loosened by alcohol, he adds, ‘They’re my family.’

‘But they were happy for you.’

‘Yes, because they care about me.’ And, though Sebastian may not always feel it, may not always know his worth, he knows it to be true, right now.

‘I still don't get why you didn't go.’

‘I _told_ you you wouldn’t understand.’ Sebastian throws his hands up. ‘But then you’re good at leaving things behind.’ And, oh, where did _that_ come from.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ When Sebastian doesn’t answer, Rory narrows his eyes at him. Considering. He’s more than a pretty face—he’s a good actor. And good actors know people. His words are careful when he says, ‘I didn’t think I had anything to leave behind.’

There are at least two ways Sebastian could interpret that. If he’s uncharitable, it would be that Rory didn’t consider him worth thinking of. But it could always mean... ‘Didn’t you?’

Rory gives a small shake of his head. 

‘Well, then,’ Sebastian says, and turns away. Pretends to fuss with a pile of books on the side table, all the while his heart is beating harder and faster.

A shadow falls over him and he looks up in time to see Rory kneel before his armchair. Rory winces, grabbing his back.

Sebastian reaches for him, an aborted move, his hand hanging in the air.

Rory’s hand is warm when it closes over Sebastian’s. ‘You didn’t keep in touch either, you know.’ His voice is low and soft and there is something broken in it. Something hopeful, too.

Sebastian looks away. ‘Didn’t think you’d want to hear from me.’

‘You were wrong.’

Sebastian looks back. He opens his mouth, finds himself lost for words. He, of all people! But then Rory is leaning up, into Sebastian’s space. A flurry of panic works it’s way through Sebastian. What is Rory doing? 

And then their lips meet and oh—

 _That’s_ what he’s doing.

The kiss is sweet and warm and it makes Sebastian _ache_ in a way he’s not let himself for many years.

Sebastian swallows heavily when they break apart. He licks his lips. ‘You kiss by the book.’ 

‘I’ll give it thee again,’ Rory says with that beautiful smile, ‘and one for interest, if thou wilt have twain.’

‘Oh, shut up,’ Sebastian says, but he’s smiling, too, as he leans in to kiss Rory once more. 

He takes his twain and then some.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Sonnet 20 by Shakespeare
> 
> ‘You kiss by the book’ is, of course, from Romeo and Juliet
> 
> ‘I’ll give it thee again and one for interest, if thou wilt have twain.’ is from Venus and Adonis


End file.
